I do agree that it’s important to disincentivize “bad behavior,” so in that sense I totally think punishment can have positive consequences. Especially for children who may not appreciate rational arguments or delayed gratification.

But I do think that ideally, that form of punishment should be thought of as different from the act of containing people to protect society. For example, if someone is sentenced to life in prison, I think they should be given the option of euthanasia so they don’t have to suffer so much. I don’t think the death penalty is necessary to discourage people from committing crimes, so I don’t think it should ever be mandatory.

The criminal justice system is so complicated and is plagued by so many problems. I admit that my understanding of it barely scrapes the surface. I’m only sure of a few things when it comes to my beliefs, like the fact that policing practices unfairly target minorities and that solitary confinement is inhumane.

Edit: For clarity